Patent US4007392A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4007392A
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Magnetic well for plasma confinement
Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc
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Filing: 1974-04-16
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Granted: 1977-02-08
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Expires: 1994-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A multipole magnetic well for plasma confinement includes a plurality of current-carrying coils placed on planes corresponding to the facets of a regular polyhedron that can be symmetrically circumscribed about a sphere. The direction of current in the coils is such as to minimize the flux density at the center of the polyhedron, thereby providing a confinement well with three-dimensional symmetry having an increasing flux density in all directions from the center.
Inventors
- 👤 August Valfells
- 👤 Ya-Chang Chiu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:46
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/02; H05H1/10; H05H1/11; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/10; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/825; Y10S505/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
Apparatus for forming a magnetic well for plasma confinement comprising a plurality of at least four current-carrying loops arranged such that each loop lies in a plane corresponding generally to one facet of a substantially regular polyhedron, the magnitude and direction of current flow in said loops being such as to minimize the magnetic field at the center of said polyhedron when all current loops are energized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus for forming a magnetic well for plasma confinement comprising a plurality of at least four current-carrying loops arranged such that each loop lies in a plane corresponding generally to one facet of a substantially regular polyhedron, the magnitude and direction of current flow in said loops being such as to minimize the magnetic field at the center of said polyhedron when all current loops are energized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that the magnetic flux surface of the field has a three-dimensional cusped geometry with near spherical symmetry.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that the magnetic field increases continuously in all radial directions from said center to maximum values inside said current loops.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means forming a vacuum chamber for containing said plasma.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are only four current-carrying loops arranged in the general shape of a regular tetrahedron.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are six current-carrying loops arranged in the general shape of a cube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are eight current-carrying loops arranged in the general shape of a regular octahedron.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are 12 current-carrying loops arranged in the general shape of a duodecahedron.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are 20 current-carrying loops arranged in the general shape of a regular icosahedron.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said current-carrying loops is formed in the general shape of a circle and the diameters of all of said circles formed by said loops are approximtely equal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are eight current loops formed in the general shape of a regular octahedron and defining four pairs of opposing loops, the magnetic field generated by each loop of a given pair reinforcing the field generated by the complementary loop of that pair, the magnetic fields of all of said opposing pairs of loops being arranged to minimize the magnetic field intensity at the center of said octahedron, thereby to generate a magnetic field of tetrahedral symmetry.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of magnetic confinement means each providing with energized helical coil means, and extending between a pair of opposite magnetic poles generated by said loops for minimizing end loss from said loops.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus comprising: a source of ions, means forming a vacuum chamber, means for introducing said ions into said chamber, and a plurality of at least four generally circular closed current conductors spaced about said chamber substantially the symmetry of a regular polyhedron, each of said conductors being energized with electrical current flowing in respective directions in each loop to minimize the magnetic field in the center of the polyhedron.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus comprising: a source of ions, means forming a vacuum chamber, means for introducing said ions into said chamber, and a plurality of at least four generally circular closed current conductors spaced about said chamber substantially the symmetry of a regular polyhedron, each of said conductors being energized with electrical current flowing in respective directions in each loop to minimize the magnetic field in the center of the polyhedron.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein there are eight current conductors spaced about said chamber in the symmetry of a regular octahedron.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said conductors are arranged in opposing pairs, the current in each conductor of an opposing pair flowing in the same direction to generate reinforcing magnetic fields, the magnetic well having a tetrahedral symmetry, and being characterized in that the magnetic field of the field increases continuously in all radial directions from the center to maximum values inside said conductors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising four toroidal confining tubes, each communicating with said chamber at opposite magnetic poles for each opposing pair of conductors; and magnetic winding means extending along each of said tubes for creating a magnetic field within each tube for directing charged particles along the respective axes of each tube, in a stable manner, whereby any particles lost through a magnetic pole will be routed to an opposite magnetic pole by means of one of said tubes and the magnetic field created by the associated winding means thereon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3643123A
Cited
US3614525A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-02-08 | 1980-08-09 | 1981-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-02-08 | 1984-08-09 | 1985-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-02-08 | 1988-08-09 | 1989-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |